A new Famitsu article concerning the Kingdom Hearts series is now available, revealing two new screenshots of Kingdom Hearts III not seen in the previous E3 trailer. A render of Sora in his Kingdom Hearts III clothes was also shown. The article discusses both Kingdom Hearts III & Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. You can view the new screenshots and render below.

The latest issue of Famitsu Weekly has included an exclusive look at the mobile version of Kingdom Hearts χ[chi], titled Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ (pronounced as Kingdom Hearts Unchained Key) that was revealed yesterday. The feature reveals the game's logo and shows various screenshots of the new title.

Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ is a port of the Japan-only web browser game, Kingdom Hearts χ[chi] and will be free-to-play with optional in-app-purchases for iOS & Android devices. It is currently scheduled to be released this year in Japan.

Update: You can view translations of the first page of the article below thanks to SkyKeybladeHero.

New Game Scoop

[Kingdom Hearts]'s first smartphone app. The story that connects to [KHIII] is told!Kingdom Hearts X[chi], the browser game that tells the oldest tale in the Kingdom Hearts series.Adapting its gameplay to smartphones along with some set up to the story, this new game was born: Kingdom Hearts Unchained X.The player becomes the wielder of a key shaped sword, the Keyblade and sets out on a journey to the various worlds gathering LUX (Light).

First you need to choose and join a Union commanded by one of the 5 Foretellers.

It's said that in the Book of Profecies of the Foretellers are written the events a far away future.It has ties to [KHIII] and will be a key to telling the story.

The mysterious creature that supports and teaches many things to the player, Chirithy. It's cute face hides a dreaded and unxpected fate.

Square Enix has uploaded several new promotional videos to the Japanese Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ website, showcasing the new gameplay system of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. These clips take place in a variety of different worlds and show off the core mechanics of the games, such as conversations, medals, raid boss battles, and touch screen functions. All the gameplay videos can be watched below:

The game is scheduled to be released next week in Japan for iOS & Android devices for free with optional in-app-purchases. Will you be playing the Japanese release of KHUχ?

This feature includes an interview with the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, Tetsuya Nomura, where he confirms that Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ will be coming overseas, with testing already underway in North America. As a result of the testing, they have decided to change Kingdom Hearts χ[chi] cards into "medals", in order to appeal more to a Western audience.

The full translation of this interview question can be read below, thanks to our translator SkyKeybladeHero.

-- In [KHx], cards are used for the battle system, but in this game they have become medals?

Nomura: Since we are considering developing this game overseas, we have adjusted it accordingly. When our testing team in America had Smartphone users play it, if they saw cards as they appeared in [KHX], they tended to think of it as the so called "card games". Although after having they play it for a while we had good reactions, the first impression of the game wasn't good. Since the first impression of a game is very important, we tried something other than cards.

-- You are considering developing it overseas, but what about the server's configuration and segmentation?

Nomura: We plan on adding new servers. We are also taking into account the chatting element, so I think we will divide it by Language Versions.

Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, has announced some new character customisation details for Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ via the game'sofficial Twitter account. The player will have the ability to change their face, hair color, outfits and gender at any given time within the game, rather than just at the start of the game as in Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]. Other details were revealed, including that the game is in its last stage of fine-tuning before services are commenced.

You can read full translations of each tweet below thanks to goldpanner and KH13 Kingdom Hearts χ Team member Aru Akise.

Tweet 26: The truth is that yesterday, I forgot to override the on button because I was in a hurry. So what was left had low probability and losing 20 skills left me in shock. Certainly everyone will not make my mistake, so please excuse my error.

Tweet 27: This original world is Daybreak Town, its distinct structure of little staircases and streets and many highs and lows make it very pleasing to me. Those thoughts aside, especially in times of battle, it is wise to use auto-attack. It is convenient at times for an easy victory.

Tweet 28: Aside from publicity, what’s behind the introduction? After speaking about the place and what event scene to talk about, because it was a moving picture we decided to introduce the event scene at another time. This photo is my favorite one from what I took this morning.

Tweet 29: A little while ago, because of the staff got angry, I laughed and tried to fix the situation. Event scenes are animations organized in a certain way, there are two different types of conversations that can happen during events. 2 before [auto-attack] there was an error. Excuse me.

Tweet 30: The story focuses on 5 foretellers, who each organize their own unions to collect light (lux) in an attempt to change the future from ruins. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the tale that began in KHχ, but KHUχ will be a fresh start that brings everything together and further develops it.

Spoiler

Tweet 1: Development is currently in the last stage of fine-tuning. I have been having so much fun with what was meant to be a test play that when I think about how the day is rapidly approaching that this data won't be able to be used any more, I feel sad. However, I'll get over my sadness so all of you will be able to play and as I weep I'll get it finished, so please enjoy.

Tweet 2: Even as I endure the other staff making fun of my poor deck (I started later than the others), the crisp feel that we were determined to have and the nice tempo it progresses with make it difficult when it is time to stop. All of the staff are working hard, so please wait just a little more before service commences.

Tweet 3: Various things play when you launch the app, but skip them with a tap (a sneaky move) and you'll be in Daybreak Town before you know it (not the very first time, though). This place serves as your home base, and you can select various things using the upper-right menu. By the way, Co. Director Itou-chan says it will be finished soon.

Tweet 4: As the aforementioned Itou-chan is the papa, now it's possible to switch genders at any time in character customisation. It's possible to change hair colour and the face and such too at any time during the game. With this, when you start, there will be no need to stress about taking your time, right?

Tweet 5: Excuse me for the excessive emphasis just now, having repeated 'it's possible to ~ at any time' twice. Anyway, it's possible to clear the quests that make up the bread and butter of the game in a short amount of time. However, as you can see, I haven't covered two things in the Challenge section. I am puzzling over what equipment I'll need to cover them.

Tweet 6: As each Keyblade has different attribute enhancing slots, the key to strategising is the compatibility of the Keyblade, the deck and the quest. If you go along collecting materials and enhancing your Keyblade, you will unlock more slots. I have all the materials, maybe I'll just go ahead and make Last Resort?

Tweet 7: The final-version update has been decided upon, and as I was informed of the date my current data would be erased, my heart was breaking. I finally upgraded my Keyblade to Three Wishes. Unlocking the 4th slot made it change shape, too, and it got stronger than I thought it would. Well, it's going to get erased anyway.

Tweet 8: As you go through quests, occasionally a Raid Boss will appear and block your way. Even if you can't defeat it the first time, you can challenge it again and again while it has appeared. Despite this costing AP from the second time onward, it's actually a tasty opportunity as you can get various bonuses for defeating it. The points of strategy are whether to destroy parts of it or aim for the weak spots

Tweet 9: Now that I think about it, I haven't explained the all-important medals. It's not that I was hesitating to show weak medals, you know! I have another open slot now, and I can set it by dragging one over from the right. I noticed that I have a lot of synthesis medals too, so how about I try some synthesis.

Tweet 10: One of my most prized medals. I've selected my R (rare) Sora. With added skills, too. In rare cases medals exist that have added skills, and they have extra effects. You can see for yourself the added skill icons on the upper right of the medals on the setting screen I posted before, too. Medals have the potential to be synthesised and to evolve.

Tweet 11: Choose synthesis and a popup like the one on the setting screen will open, so drag one to the left and press synthesise to complete. Those who think that's a pain can hit 'auto' and the synthesis medals will be chosen for them. By the way, officially, they don't go by the title R (rare), we say star #

Tweet 12: Explaining it may make it seem rather time consuming, but in practice medal and Keyblade equipping is quick, simple and smooth enough that even lazy old me thought it was just fine. At last, select a quest and then next decide on a deck (Keyblade). I usually button mash through that.

Tweet 13: Next, you can choose one randomly displayed medal belonging to your partner. I may be lazy, but even I don't button mash through this part. Medals that me and my weak deck have never seen (other people's) come up, and that's rather important. In a way, relying on these just might be how I made it this far.

Tweet 14: There's a simple rule for quests: there will be a target, defeat it to clear. The whereabouts of the target is displayed as you move, and you will be taken into a battle if you touch an enemy. Attack parts by touching the screen, the whole thing by swiping the screen, and swiping the medals to use abilities.

Tweet 15: The biggest thing in Uχ is the one-turn finish. This is the type of game where you aim for the exhilaration of winning one battle in one turn. The enemy gets their turn in one rotation of the carousel, the rotating commands in the bottom left, so increasing your slots by even one is remarkably advantageous.

Tweet 16: Something happened this morning. "We apologise for the suddenness, but the data will be erased today." I had heard it was next week, but just like that it's goodbye. I can't take any more pictures. But, on the other hand, I'm telling myself that this is proof that the beginning of the service is near, and there are things I want to introduce to you in the official version too, so I'll see you another time.

Tweet 17: Good morning. Yesterday we were bustling with III news from over the ocean, weren't we? Anyway, I managed to make it past the point I'd got up to in my deleted file. Until the service begins I will continue my introduction, but there's a place I want to get to first, so I'm currently waiting for my AP to regenerate.

Tweet 18: So, after advancing the quest to 130, Olympus Colosseum becomes available.It seems new elements are increased. The rules are different in there too, so I'll explain later.

Tweet 19: In the Coliseum, each rank has a different number of rounds, and if you clear all the rounds your rank will go up. At this time, because clearing one turn and the higher number of hits is a shortcut, it’s a skillful way to get your rank up quickly.

Tweet 20: When you release the board with coins obtained in the Coliseum, you will obtain a rare medal. As I spoke of before, medals can be synthesized with skills. Also, since the common ranking is no longer in the Coliseum, please try your best to obtain the coins.

Tweet 21: I ranked #2 in the Coliseum. It was only between me and Producer Okayama.Tweet 22: When attaching skills in synthesis, there may be occasions where you’ll want to use the on/off button that appears. Using synthesis without the on button will cause you to lose the skills. Because attached skills are very important & usually have a success hit rate of 20%, it is bad to lose skills and will make your experience stressful.

Tweet 23: So by synthesizing the medals with skills, the level of the medals increases. By raising the level by 1, the hit rate is 20% higher. As a result of reaching level 51, the hit rate is now rising by 28%.Because attaching skills is important, the tension is raised.Tweet 24: To further increase the probability, synthesize the same skill with the medals. If you try to add a 5 star medal at level 20, the success rate rises to 75% and the tension is relaxed. Still, it is possible a skill left in a set may be lost.Tweet 25: Another more reliable way that I found the other day in the Coliseum is to attach skills when synthesizing with Scrooge. It raised one level and had a success rate of 100%. But I forgot to override the on button and I lost a precious medal to Scrooge…

New screenshots were also released along with these tweets, and these can be seen below.

With E3 2015 coming to an end, it's time to wrap up our coverage with a summary of all the Kingdom Hearts news that appeared at E3 2015. A ton of Kingdom Hearts news appeared at E3 2015 and we have you covered with all the interviews, trailers, & announcements! Below you will find all articles pertaining to Kingdom Hearts at E3 such as interviews with Tetsuya Nomura, Kingdom Hearts E3 2015 trailers, & more.

Kingdom Hearts III articles

As E3 progressed, we posted all the news pertaining to Kingdom Hearts III. You can view all the news articles below.

We decided to look more in-depth at the Kingdom Hearts III E3 2015 trailer and come up with our very own analysis. Credit goes to the community for helping us out with our analysis articles which you can view below!

Square Enix has released a batch of new screenshots and renders of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ, the iOS & Android port of web browser game, Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]. The screenshots show events, battles and menus while the renders show characters like King Mickey, Donald Duck & Goofy. You can view them all below.

In the latest issue of Famitsu Weekly, the upcoming iOS and Android title, Kingdom Hearts Unchained χwas featured. Within the issue of Famitsu Weekly, details were given about the upcoming title such as it's medals system and the Keyblade upgrade system. As you play through Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ you can make your character stronger by strengthening your medals abilities and upgrading your Keyblade. In the issue they also explain how the controls in the game are optimized for smartphones and other mobile devices as well as going into detail about Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]'s 2nd anniversary, in which the game was originally released in July 2013. You can view a translation of the Famitsu Weekly scan below thanks to goldpanner as well as screenshots within the scan.

Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ is a title that allows you to experience the 'Keyblade War' mentioned in-game in the KH series. As the wielder of the Keyblade, a key-shaped sword, the player goes around the worlds. The controls have been optimised for smartphones, and the battles that allow you to feel exhilarated in a short time are also attractive. The Keyblade can be strengthened, and the user-friendliness can be improved depending on customisation. In this issue, we'd like to explain the setup behind that.

Become stronger along with your Keyblade!

Keyblades have several slots open. The setup involves filling them with medals to open the possibility to use attacks and strong abilities. Also, strengthen the Keyblade and you will gain benefits that connect to your fighting power, such as increasing the number of slots. You can't skip this element of gameplay if you want to overcome battles.

Unleash the medal abilities in battle!In the battles in this title, you can unleash the techniques of the medals on your Keyblade one after another simply by tapping or holding the screen. Fulfil the requirements, and by holding and flicking the medal in the bottom left of the screen, you can set off powerful abilities such as the ones shown here. If you use a technique with an attribute that is effective against the enemy's attribute there will be even more of an impact.

Kingdom Hearts χ browser version service reaches second year anniversary!

KHχ is the PC browser game that serves as the base for KH Unchained χ. As the predecessor of KH Unchained χ, it has been in service since July 2013. In KHχ there is currently a campaign to commemorate the second year anniversary of the service having begun, and various events are underway. If you haven't played it before, how about taking this as your opportunity to try it out?

Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts series has written a message for the reveal of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ, the port of the web browser game, Kingdom Hearts χ[chi] for iOS & Android devices. Nomura explains the reasoning behind the title "Unchained" and confirms the web browser version will continue to run. You can read it below thanks to misomilk from Tumblr.

Dear Users of the Keyblade, it has been a while.This time, we have announced the smartphone app 『KINGDOM HEARTS Unchained χ』.

Since we've adjusted it for smartphone applications (smartphone usage), you'll notice you can enjoy it in a shorter time, and much more freely [than in browser format]. That's how in calling it "Unchained", we've put in a feeling/meaning/sense of "release".It also connotes how you can take it out with you on your phone, but you'll see this [release] sense in the story, too.

『χ』 and 『Unchained χ』. These two 『χ』, in terms of world and story, have both similarities and differences they share. Your meeting and parting with Ephemera, the hints of mystery surrounding Chirithy may already come to your mind. Then there's also the Foretellers starting to move according to their own [convictions].

Be that as it may, it will still take some time until 『Unchained χ』 comes out. Of course, 『KINGDOM HEARTS χ[chi]』 will keep running its course. I'd like to extend my thanks to those who keep playing it.

Please expect that there will be more events linking to 『Unchained χ』. It will please us well that you, already Users of the Keyblade, and also those who are to become (will become) Users of the Keyblade, continue to enjoy 『KINGDOM HEARTS χ[chi]』.

On the official Disney Games Japan website, new screenshots of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ were posted and shared. As the game is reaching the final stages of development and being prepared to release in September, more and more screenshots are shared to show it's current progress in development. Along with the new screenshots shared on the official Disney Games Japan website, the official Twitter account for Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ, @KHUX_PR, have also shared new screenshots. You can view them below thanks to @bKvEBVAvUq for the tip.

In an interview with Famitsu Weekly, Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts series has revealed that the story of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ will connect with the story of Kingdom Hearts III. You can read a translation of the interview below thanks to misomilk on Tumblr.

— In terms of story, since KHX was released first, KH Unchained X will simply do catching up, right?

Nomura: Yes. Just that, KHX’s story will continue moving, so it will take quite some for Unchained X to catch up.

—We look forward to how KH Unchained X’s story links to KHIII.

Nomura: That’s right. It’s connected to KHIII. It’s the oldest of tales in the series. Sora and co haven’t even been born yet.......................... The events [in these two games] happen at a time far long past. Regarding a new keyword related to KHIII, if you play KHX and KH Un X it might make you go “Oh?” We keep thinking of ways in order to make players think “I’m glad I played this”.

— So this keyword is significantly related to KHIII.

Nomura: If I explain that, I’ll have to touch on KHIII’s story, so… (bitterly laughs). I’ll say what I can without spoiling anything. KHX’s main story doesn’t reach KHIII’s timeline, but there are some pieces you pick up, and those pieces will be what pushes the plot forward from here onwards. Either way, experiencing the story you’ve gone through KHX in KH Un X again will—

— Again? You said earlier you want players to “get the sense of being in the same world,” but had that implied that “KHX” and “KH Unchained X” are different worlds?

Nomura: I do wonder (laughs). An upcoming KHX story might give you the hint. We’ve set up KHX’s story to deliver it powerfully, so please look forward to the story’s progression from here forward. Now, KH Un X’s story is fundamentally the same as KHX’s, of course, but since they are two games, we’re setting up ways so you’d like to play both.

Square Enix Japan have announced that a new Kingdom Hearts title will be releasing for iOS and Android in 2015, known as Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. The title will be free-to-play with optional in-app purchases, the first smartphone title in the series, and an adaption of the PC browser game Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]. We will update as more information becomes available.

'Kingdom Hearts Unchained Key' for iOS/Android, scheduled to release 2015, free to play (with in-app purchasable items), the gameplay of 'Kingdom Hearts Key' remade for smartphones, setup for the plot has also been prepared for this newest title in the series.

KHDestiny have shared a photo of Square Enix France's conference room at E3 2015, and within lies many posters of a few games that they'll be showing off at the conference – including Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ! This seems to confirm that the game will make an appearance at E3. You can see the photo below, thanks to KHDestiny.

E3 2015 has concluded, and we can imagine that all of you are still recovering from the massive amounts of Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ news, interviews and media that we received. Stay tuned though, there's more– we're very excited to announce that we, along with many other fansites in the Kingdom Hearts space, had the chance to interview the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, Tetsuya Nomura!

Churro, representing KH13, along with Mike & Andy from DisneyExaminer, Alex from Kingdom Hearts Destiny, Branden from Kingdom Hearts Union, and Cecily, Sophearum and Arielle from KHInsider all participated in a roundtable discussion with Nomura, and were able to ask him a number of questions about Kingdom Hearts. With a big thanks to Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura, here it is!

--How did magic evolve for Kingdom Hearts 3?

Nomura: When it comes to magic in Kingdom Hearts 3, we really wanted to try to leave an effect on the surrounding environment. In the trailer when Sora would cast Blizzard, the blast would leave behind a sheet of ice for Sora to slide on, and when he cast Aero in a field, the wind would make an impression in the grass.

We are hoping to achieve those types of lasting effects in the world with the new magic skills, so please look forward to them.

--Are there any plans for further communication with fans online as a means of delivering news, such as through livestreaming (example: Final Fantasy’s Letter to the Producer / Active Time Report) or the Message to the Kingdom blog?

Nomura: Unfortunately, that is not possible for us. The reason for this is because of the risks involved when we actually do livestreaming for Kingdom Hearts. While we are able to hold livestreams frequently for Final Fantasy, it is a much more different process with due consideration to Disney. Even participating in Square Enix Presents here at E3 is a very delicate situation due to the risk of revealing information accidentally.

--What was your inspiration for Chirithy in Kingdom Hearts X[chi]?

Nomura: When we were developing Kingdom Hearts X[chi], the development staff really wanted to introduce a guide for the Player character that would aid them throughout their journey. I thought a lot about how this character would appear as. This all took place before I acquired my own cats, but I had always wanted a Scottish Fold and decided to create Chirithy based off of that breed.

--How do you select which attractions to use for Attraction Flow, and which rides do you like the best?

Nomura: We look at all the attractions in the Disney parks worldwide, particularly the ones that appear to be popular. We revealed a new Attraction Flow in the latest trailer based off of the Mad Tea Party with Sora, Donald and Goofy spinning around in teacups, but I was actually very surprised by the overwhelming positive feedback from the Western fans for them, as they are not as flashy as the other rides.

As for my favorite rides, I really like Disney World’s Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

--In Kingdom Hearts I & II we were used to have a Disney character joining our party in each new world Sora and his friends visit. Will this mechanic be present in Kingdom Hearts 3?

Nomura: Right, the idea of having a Disney character joining your party was an important part of KH 1 & 2, so, yes you will be able to have Disney characters joining your team across the game, not just as a temporary party member in the worlds, but also as summons.

--How is the Kingdom Shader being used in Kingdom Hearts 3?

Nomura: The goal of the Kingdom Shader is to evoke the feel of the brush paintings in each unique Disney world, just as we had always aimed to do. We are working to accomplish all of these different styles so that they will be properly reflected in each world in order to do the Disney properties justice, and we also have to decide if we will use them or go for a more realistic shader in certain worlds. The original worlds, however, will continue to use the same style.

--How was your time at E3? Were you able to check out any other games?

Nomura: Unfortunately I was too busy with interviews and was not able to see the other games being exhibited. I did, however, watch the first party press conferences online. I particularly liked Guerrilla Game’s Horizon: Zero Dawn and Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’sGhost Recon.

--Was Kingdom Hearts 3 always planned to be released for the new generation of consoles?

Nomura: To be honest, it was not. It just so happened that the timing happened to work out in this situation. When the time came that we were ready and able to begin work on Kingdom Hearts 3, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One had just been introduced, so the best decision for us was to develop KH3 for the new consoles.

Following last month's announcement of an upcoming Kingdom Hearts χ[chi] port for smartphones, Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ for iOS and Android, Square Enix has today officially announced at their E3 2015 press conference that Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ will also be releasing overseas!

Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ will be coming to both the iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android platforms. Square Enix has provided the following description of the new title:

Based on the Japan-exclusive PC browser game of the same name, KINGDOM HEARTS Unchained χ (read as Unchained “Key”), allows players to create their own keyblade wielder who harnesses his or her own keyblade to combat enemies across the beloved worlds of Disney. In the game, players will uncover story elements from the earliest parts of the series’ history, as well as the highly-anticipated, upcoming KINGDOM HEARTS III title.

An English trailer for the game was shown, and this can be seen below:

Here are some high quality official screenshots that were uploaded by Square Enix:

And lastly, Square Enix have launched the official Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ English website! Check it out here for more details:

Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ, the iOS & Android port of Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]will be featured in this week's issue of Famitsu Weekly magazine. The preview from Famitsu.com reveals that brand new screenshots will be included, we are almost certain to get a press release of these soon after and when we do we'll let you know. The article will also contain new information about the medals which are replacing Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]'s cards in the iOS & Android version. You can view a preview of this article below.

Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts, has written a message for fans regarding the Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ news from E3 2015. The message from Nomura has him presenting all of the announcements to us, and interestingly mentions that not all the assets/information available were revealed – just a snippet. The message also says that there will be more news soon, so stay tuned!

You can read the full message below:

After we announced KINGDOM HEARTS III, we went through some redesigning associated with the change in the game engine. Since we were prioritizing those tasks, we were not able to reveal much new information, but this time, we premiered footage that shows the game in action on the new engine.

The video is just a snippet, but I believe you can get a glimpse of all the challenges that the development team is taking on.We leaned toward the flashiest of scenes due to the limited length of time, but I hope that viewers can sense that this new world of KINGDOM HEARTS is something that players can enjoy, not only during the powered-up battles, but even when you’re just traversing the map.

That being said, the true nature of KINGDOM HEARTS III is still to come, so please stay tuned for further information.

Also, we just made the announcement that KINGDOM HEARTS χ [chi], a PC browser game that was previously only available in Japan, will be coming to North America as KINGDOM HEARTS Unchained χ.

It is meant to be a handy way to enjoy the world of KINGDOM HEARTS more deeply, so I hope that you try out KINGDOM HEARTS Unchained χ, and imagine your new journey in KHIII.

Pre-registration for the upcoming iOS & Android game, Kingdom Hearts Unchained χis now open for Japan. Those who pre-register will be treated to some special smartphone wallpapers featuring artwork of the game. Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ will launch during September 2015 for Japan. Along with the announcement of opening pre-registrations, an official Twitter account was created for Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ via @KHUX_PR.

You can view all the smartphone wallpapers below.

Additionally, some new images concerning the game were also released, you can view them below.

In an interview with Dengeki Online, Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, has shared more details about the opening scene of the Kingdom Hearts III E3 2015 trailer with Young Xehanort and Young Eraqus. Nomura explained that their conversation helps connect to the story of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. He also explained that their conversation is much longer in the full scene, but that this small part was extracted for the trailer.

That is called the ‘Attraction Flow,’ and it’s one of the featured elements of the game. After meeting certain requirements, you’ll get the option to activate it, and as far as visuals go, it’s pretty elaborate. As a matter of fact, the UI shown in the trailer is a temporary one, and once you actually get to use the Attraction Flow, it will also change the UI while active.

Also, as far as ledges, elevation differences, and slopes go, Sora’s actions will automatically change as part of the introduction of the “Free Run” feature, which will give it a more dynamic sense of action

[About the conversation between Eraqus and Xehanort]

Yes, that is [the opening scene for Kingdom Hearts III]. The game will start with the conversation between the two,” says Nomura. “It’s actually a much longer conversation scene, but we’ve extracted that part to show in the trailer. As you may have noticed from seeing them, it’s a scene that takes place a very long time ago, and that’s where the story of Kingdom Hearts Unchained X[chi] connects [with the game].

Within the latest issue of Famitsu Weekly, the upcoming iOS & Android title, Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ was featured. In the recent issue of Famitsu Weekly they discuss more on the game mechanics and how the game will work in terms of the battle system, and strengthening your player in the game. Below you can view screenshots of Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ in Famitsu Weekly thanks to @RedMakuzawa for the tip. You can read translations of the Famitsu Weekly scan below thanks to goldpanner.

Presenting the first title in the Kingdom Hearts (hereon KH) series developed for smartphone, to begin service in September!

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X

*Screens are from a work in progress.

See the history that led up to the very first event in the timeline of the KH series, the 'Keyblade War', in Kingdom Hearts Unchained X. Service is planned to begin in September and is currently accepting pre-registrations, so we will tell you about the basic gameplay and the flow of the game, as well as new information our writer has ascertained from an actual play!

> When you start a game, you create an avatar and select the Union you will align with. It's possible to change it after that, but to switch Unions you need jewels (=in-game currency).

PREPARE FOR YOUR ADVENTURE IN DAYBREAK TOWN

Daybreak town serves as the home base for the Keyblade Wielders such as the player. Here you can customise your Keyblade, check the rankings, get medals at the shop, and speak with party members. Align yourself with huge parties of up to 30 people and you can work together to face the giant Raid Bosses. You should join parties that match your own play style.

> Party guidelines on things such as frequency of play etc. vary. It's okay to create your own party and recruit members, and it's also ok to to look at recruitments and participate in them.

YOU CAN EXCHANGE INFO WITH PARTY MEMBERS IN A CHAT

> You can exchange information with your party members in a chat, where you can also use stickers such asthese.

> There's also a feature called the 'Avatar Board', where you can gain avatar abilities and outfits using the avatar coins you obtain from clearing stages etc.

As mentioned, battles are fought using the medals you have set to your Keyblade. Medals have set statuses such as rare abilities, type affinities, cost, abilities, and skills, and you can raise their rarity by putting special medals into them after maximising their levels through synthesis. You should nurture your favourite medals and use them for a long time.

> Raise the rarity of a medal and the properties will change, of course, and its appearance may also change.

> The level of a medal can be raised by synthesising it with other medals. Munny (money) is also necessary for synthesis and evolution.

> In battles, tap to perform a single attack with the Keyblade, and flick to execute an area attack. You can also utilise strong abilities held by medals.

QUESTS YOU CAN PLAY SMOOTHLY AND QUICKLY

Progress through the game by clearing quests. Each quest is cleared by defeating a set target enemy. They all only take a short amount of time to do, and being able to pick it up and play in any small moment of free time is nice. Also, each quest has three set challenges, and if you fulfil them you will receive a reward. This is something extra to enjoy that extends playability.

> Your avatar moves to where you touch on the screen. When your avatar touches a glowing point, you can get material items that correspond to the place.

EXPLORE EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF THE STAGE

> Choose the quest you want to try from from the lineup at the bottom of the screen. You can see the content of the challenges and the affinities of the target enemy, so you should prepare accordingly each time.

CLEAR TO GET REWARDS!

> You will receive the challenge rewards when you clear the quest. You may also obtain titles.

MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH QUESTS AND RAID BOSSES APPEAR

> Raid Bosses appear suddenly and interrupt your progression through the quest. You won't be able to continue the quest until it is defeated or until it disappears after a certain amount of time!

> There are many merits in defeating them. Work together with your party members and aim to defeat it!

[Impressions you didn't ask for: smooth and stress-free! | What surprised me during my play was the overall smoothness, you don't even feel load times. The battles are turn-based with an eye on action, and there's also an element of strategising in deliberately arranging attacks to aim for 'one turn finishes' where you defeat the enemy in one turn. HP fully regenerates after each battle, so you don't have to bother with healing. It's very well thought out!]

Following the announcement for Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ at E3 2015, the official Kingdom Hearts Twitter has sent out a tweet to clarify what regions this announcement was for. In the tweet, they reveal that the E3 announcement was for North America only, and that other regions such as Europe are "still to be confirmed". This tweet can be seen below.

Do you think Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ will be released worldwide, or do you think the new game will remain exclusive to Japan and North America? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to show your support for Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ worldwide by contacting Square Enix on the official Kingdom HeartsFacebook and Twitter pages.

And so, a message from the KHUχ team. Today, we safely passed our Platformer tests. If things keep going favorably, we might be able to release the app next week! For those who haven't pre-reg'd (pre-registered), please do so soon so you can get your hands on some wallpapers!

There you have it! Assuming the final tests go well, those in Japan may be playing Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ next week. An actual date has not been set, but we will be sure to report when an actual release date is announced. What do you suppose this news means for the eventual North American release? Let us know in the comments!

4Gamer.net has posted an interview with Tetsuya Nomura, where he shares some very interesting details about Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. Nomura confirms that there will be no load times between areas in worlds, discusses the popularity of the series, and talks summons. He also shares his thoughts on the near 10 year gap between the release of Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts III. He shares some details about Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ as well. You can read the fully translated interview bellow thanks to goldpanner.

Enjoy action that has evolved more and more on bigger maps in Kingdom Hearts III

4Gamer: Thank you very much for speaking with us. At E3 2015 you released a trailer for Kingdom Hearts III, which is the first new information on it in a while, so let's start by talking about that.

There were quite a lot of scenes of gameplay in this trailer, so we were finally able to see what sort of game it is shaping up to be. What are the features and points you'd like us to pay attention to for Kingdom Hearts III?

Tetsuya Nomura: When it comes to Kingdom Hearts, that would have to be the story and the battle, wouldn't it. I still cannot say anything about the story, but there were a lot of new flashy techniques in this trailer, so I think I was able to convey that end of things.4Gamer: There were various techniques that strongly resembled theme park attractions, weren't there?

The train, ship and tea cups and such decorated with lights are a skill called 'Attraction Flow'. There's also another feature where the Keyblade turns into things such as a chariot, or a double bow gun that transforms further and shoots magic bullets. That's a system where one Keyblade can transform into several phases, and we have created many more transformations that weren't in the trailer.

4Gamer: It sounds as though even from within the 'action' format battling has become quite varied.

Nomura: On top of that there are also techniques like the 'summon' command and other abilities of Sora's, so there are quite a lot of choices when it comes to battle. There was a scene in the trailer where Sora ran up a wall to fight - that freerunning is also something you can connect techniques to for bold moves.I think that an exhilarating feel is important to battle in Kingdom Hearts, so we are making battles that you can enjoy by unleashing lots of crisp techniques.

4Gamer: Kingdom Hearts III is the first title in the series to release on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. Are there any features you included specifically to take advantage of the new hardware?

Nomura: Being able to move around flashily on large maps, like in that scene I think there is where Sora jumps off a cliff, is something we could do because of the new hardware. Up until now there have been load times when moving between areas, but now they connect seamlessly and the maps are also bigger, so you can do even flashier actions.Also, the AI during battle has been enhanced quite a bit. There was that scene where Donald and Sora are moving with Goofy has he wields his shield - you don't only execute that sort of thing yourself, Goofy and Donald can invite you into it too. On the other hand, the enemy AI is also more advanced, and we are also including the element of mutual enemies working together, so for example they can join together to charge at you and things like that.

4Gamer: Even though you weren't able to announce the release date this time, how is development coming along?

Nomura: The gameplay and world assignments have been decided, and the foundations are already done, so now we are at the stage of putting our effort into all details.

4Gamer: We are looking forward to more information. Kingdom Hearts is a title that is very popular overseas. What was the reaction on-location like at E3 when the trailer was shown?

Nomura: The reaction was amazing. There are so many fans overseas, I think perhaps it rivals that of Final Fantasy in popularity.

4Gamer: Why do you think Kingdom Hearts has earned so much popularity overseas?

Nomura: I have no clue (laughs).

4Gamer: What an immediate reply (laughs).

Nomura: I wonder why it's so popular? I think maybe the Disney look means it’s familliar and easy to feel affection towards for people overseas. But, I've spoke with people at Disney before who told me that the story of Kingdom Hearts is very Japanese.

4Gamer: Perhaps there's a feel to it that isn't in foreign games that projects appeal.

Nomura: Also, it's been about thirteen years since the first Kingdom Hearts title came out, and about ten years since KH2, so I've heard quite a few people say "Kingdom Hearts was the first game I played." Perhaps these games mean a lot to fans because they are part of their childhood memories.

4Gamer: You mentioned ten years just now. Why did there end up being such a long gap between KH2 and KH3?

Nomura: I personally didn't intend for so much time to pass after KHII. When people around me said it'd been ten years, I was so surprised, like, has there really been such a gap? See, I've been working on Kingdom Hearts titles this whole time. But in the midst of making spin-offs I ended up with fans saying "Another spin-off? When is KHIII coming out?" and yeah, ten years had actually passed. This is bad, I thought.

4Gamer: So that's why you decided to develop the long-awaited legitimate sequel.

4Gamer: You aren't only working on development of Kingdom Hearts III, but also Kingdom Hearts Unchainedχ (hereon Unchainedχ), aren't you? Although Unchainedχ is set the furthest back of any game in the series, it connects to KH3. How does that work?

Nomura: In the world of Kingdom Hearts so far the phrase 'Keyblade War' has come up a few times, which refers to a legend regarding a huge war fought between Keyblade Wielders. Even in the trailer we just released for Kingdom Hearts III, those two boys are talking about the Keyblade War. The world of Unchainedχ is set during the age just before that war. If you play Unchainedχ you will enjoy KH3 even more, so I would by all means love for you to play it while you are waiting for KH3 to be released.

4Gamer: Unchainedχ is the first title in the Kingdom Hearts series to be developed for smartphones. Are there any things you devised for smartphone use?

Nomura: When I play social games, I hate things that are a bother. Sometimes I think, 'this could have been done with just one tap.' So, we are taking care to try and make something that won't be stressful. I especially hate getting frustrated with load times, so we in the development team have been getting passionate, going, "Fast and light! Let's aim to make the fastest game ever!"

4Gamer: With the battles of Unchainedχ, there's the 'one turn finish' element where you try to end battles in short turns. Is that also the result of trying to cut down on bother?

Nomura: Yes, that's right. Any process that requires lots of compact operations on a little screen is going to be a bother, right? We consumer developers end up wanting to keep fiddling with things. In the beginning I was actually thinking of going with an even more different combat system, like fighting by tapping in time or something like that. But that was stupid (laughs).

4Gamer: It seems that polishing your tactics in the opening setup and thinking of how to defeat the enemy in one turn for points will be a fun part of battling.

Nomura: Before, there have been times when I played other smartphone games and thought, "where is the catharsis (for the players) meant to come from?" And then, the bit that made me think "from here!" was when you did something and points started increasing with incredible vigour. When it comes to the operation, it's important to get a response that feels good.From the beginning, in Kingdom Hearts we directed it so that when you defeat enemies prizes come bursting out, and we wanted to translate that kind of good response into a smartphone game. So then, the good feeling from one-shotting an enemy with a one turn finish is incorporated as one of the charms of the battles of Unchained χ.

On November 3rd, Square Enix & Disney held an event dedicated to the Kingdom Hearts series called the Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater. Throughout the event, new footage relating to the Kingdom Hearts series was shown to everyone who attended the event, along with a few extra surprises. While those who couldn't attend the event cannot view any of the footage from the event, Square Enix released a few screenshots from the new footage, along with fans sharing their impressions on all the events that took place at the Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater.

Below you can check out all articles, screenshots, and fan impressions from the event.

Latest InformationKHx - new world,“Beast Castle (from 11/5)KHUx - new stronger medals and avatars (from 11/3 18:00)KH HD 2.8 - latest trailer. King Mickey, Riku, Kairi, and Yen Sid must find Ven, Terra, and Aqua in order to gather the 7 Guardians of Light. From there, King Mickey says he met Aqua in the Ream of Darkness when he was there. Afterwards, battle scene with Aqua was presented.KH3 - latest trailer. Starts with the conversation between young Xehanort and young Eraqus previously released. There’s more to the convo this time than before (I feel like there were things I’d never heard before, like creating Kingdom Hearts out of competing lights…)

About the new attraction flow: some of it is my own impression, but it kinda looked like it was based on Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blaster.

There was one scene that showed the detailed motions of feet being soaked in a river.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s new abilities were also shown (footage of the 3 of them sitting on Goofy’s shield and attacking was presented).

Limited making movie - Olympus Coliseum (in production) was shown. In KH2 it was a world of spirits, in KH3, I’m not super positive, but it’s probably going to be made with heaven as the main. (Olympus Coliseum’s appearance in KH3 is unknown to begin with.)

Also, a 3D Daybreak Town (in production) was shown. (Whether this world will be in KH3 or not is unknown.)

The new Nobody’s bottom half looked like flower petals, and it used to a sickle to attack. (I remember Nomura said that people who have played KH will know who this Nobody is.)

Some Heartless that look like advanced forms of Yellow Opera were also shown.

Thanks to KH13 News Team member Kayla Copeland (nichiei.translations@gmail.com), you can read fan impressions from FF-Reunion.net.

KH: [D23EJ] Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater Report!

Today from Maihama Ikspiari, we have a report of the [Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater]. The event programs are as follows:

-After entering the theater, we were given wristbands. Mr. Hashimoto was also at the theater entrance. Inside the KH Premium Theater before the event began, the screen had the [KINGDOM HEARTS Premium Theater] logo!

-There was a keyblade in front of the screen. Then there was an announcement. No recording the trailers, taking any video, or any photography was allowed during the event. According to the event's twitter, this was all in order not to ruin things for the second round of guests, and the ban would be lifted at 17:00.

-First, Tetsuya Nomura opened, and Nakamura said, “I'll speak while looking at the cue cards.” It was revealed that on 11/5, Beast's Castle would be a new world for KHx, and that from 18:00, the “Mickey Coordinate” event would start, with a KH2 Mickey present on 11/4 at 4:00!

-[Below are excerpts from the voice actor's comments about the PV]

Toyoguchi: Aqua's last line “we're connected” did not go well, and we had to do a lot of takes for it. My heart was starting to break. Recording for 2.8 isn't finished yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Okiayu: The first time I met Uchiyama, I met him with the same way Terra felt: “He's Ven!” The line that left a lasting impression on me was what I said to Otsuka, “What did you do to his heart?!”

Uchiyama: In regards to Roxas, despite not being able to feel that my own world was real, I felt at that time (as a middle school student) that just like me, Roxas was real. In regards to Ven, I went on to give out such cheerfulness that I don't really have. At first, recording felt more like playing around than work.

-A new trailer for [KH0.2BbS]! The King, Riku, and Kairi stand before YenSid. He says, “The fight with Xehanort is near. We must assemble the seven wielders of light to protect the seven hearts of pure light. In order to do that, it is indispensable that we call back the three keyblade wielders who were lost to the tragedies of long ago: Ventus, Terra, and Aqua.” Then, the King says to Riku and Kairi, “I met (?) in the Realm of Darkness.” (Picture: Aqua from behind in the Realm of Darkness)

-The [KhxBackCover] trailer was the team's logos on stained glass with voices only. A man said, “Lost (?? couldn't hear the dialogue) piece missing from the Foretellers will enter.” A woman said, “Someone has the full story of the Foretellers, and the person who has that is the traitor?” A second man said, “The darkness is indeed on the move. I can't think that there is a traitor among us.” A second woman said, “We're not for sure that there's a traitor among us, right?” The first man says, “The missing piece of the story tell us of the traitor.”

-[KHDDD] trailer came next. It was the scene where Xehanort explains things in the dream world. The King and Riku take hands and the trailer said, “Someday, with your strength...” There was the scene with Tron falling, and the scene with Riku confronting Ansem (“Ansem! You've become a part of my heart...”). There was also the scene where Sora takes Namine's hand, only to have her face turn into Xion, as well as Riku fighting the person in the black coat. It showed Sora fighting Braig (“Our hearts are connected--that's my strength!”). The modeling for KHDDD was really pretty! It seems just like a remake, perhaps because it was taken from the 3DS to the PS4 in HD.

-There was a new trailer for [KH3]. It was the full scene from the beginning of KH3 with young Eraqus and Xehanort! [The music was a piano version of [The 13th Side].)

X: Do you know about the Keyblade war?E: Of course.X: Long ago, when keyblade wielders tried to steal away the light.E: I've heard it again and again from the Master.X: I wonder what they wanted to do, using the light they stole to summon Kingdom Hearts.E: Who knows...I can't understand the reason why the fight happened in the first place.X: Have you heard of the Lost Masters? They started the Keyblade war.E: Never heard of it, where did you hear that from?X: No, was it for their sake, I wonder...E: I don't get it.X: You know the truth, right?E: About what?X: That at that time, light was defeated by the darkness. I guess you as a candidate for Master wouldn't know.E: I guess.X: You can see it with your own eyes. It's already decided, the end of the world.E: It'd be boring if the end was already decided. If the darkness is supposed to win, I'll rewrite the ending.X: You're pretty confident. But aren't you at a disadvantage?E: Light is different from darkness, because it's not just something you can see. We won't know until the end.X: I'm looking forward to it.

-There was a KH3 trailer (music: Rage Awakened). Sora, Donald and Goofy battled Heartless that looked like dandelions in front of Rapunzel's tower, then it cut to a new part with new Nobodies that look like flowers with about eight legs?, that would separate and lift into the air while spinning (I saw this during the making video, but the keyblade looked like Marluxia). Nomura said this about the new Nobodies: “These nobodies will make you imagine someone specific. People with good intuition might get it.” It showed a new weapon for Sora. In an area that looked like a valley, Sora was able to lock on to about 10 Heartless (the lock on speed is very fast, about 1.5 seconds!) and teleport around while attacking. It was really cool!

-There was a new attraction flow for [KH3]! It showed a vehicle kind of like a space ship?, where all three had a launching pad. It was called “Shooting ride.” After invoking AF, it turns into FPS mode and you can attack the enemies! (When it turns to FPS mode, the outline of goggles appears on the screen, giving you the image of playing a FPS game with goggles on)

-While fighting Heartless in [KH3], there were points where Sora would fall into the river and scream as he slid down. The river looked really pretty! It seems the Heartless can also chase you down the river. When attacking the Heartless that resemble bells (the ones well known in the KH series), they can affect the environment around you, and they can attack that way.

-There was a [KH2 Making] video presentation by Nomura! He said, “We're developing each of the worlds. Since the developers are still working, we can't show you any new worlds, but I was able to bring this in-production (making) video here today.” When the new Nobodies (shaped like flowers? They resemble Marluxia) attack, they rain down red flower petals. (The drawing below is simplified, but this is the basic idea)

-What Nomura showed us next in the [KH3 making] video was a 3D version of Daybreak Town that hasn't been used in KH so far, but they might use it in KH3 or something. I understand that the movement of light makes the buildings move.

-Next in the [KH3 making] video was a making of [Olympus]. Olympus is set up in the heavens, and it looks very divine, with the buildings reflected on the floor it was very pretty! There were buildings in the clouds, and between the clouds were the buildings of Olympus hidden away, making it a very mysterious location! Perhaps because of the use of light, the shading makes it look very three-dimensional!

-The other parts of the [KH3 making] were shots of different Heartless with no backgrounds (Heartless with hats, bell-shaped Heartless' effects) showing their movements, etc. Nomura said, “There will be other Heartless, but they are spoilers so I can't show them. Just by looking at them you'll be able to figure out the worlds.”

-There was a [0.2BbS] making video. It was a great display of running around in the darkness and Aqua fighting off Heartless!

-In [KH3], Sora, Donald, and Goofy can ride Goofy's shield. Riding the shield like that lets you fly! Also, there's going to be a large snake-like enemy to fight.

-At the end, there was a special PV they showed us called “King Mickey Scene Mash-Up]! Just when I was thinking how it was cool just to hear the music full of the King...King Mickey came out on stage, as well as Nomura and Shimomura, and they walked around the theater greeting guests! They were shaking hands and giving hi-fives!

-Everyone involved got on stage: King Mickey, Nomura, Shimomura, and Hashimoto looked full of energy!

-The last PV was a mash-up of scenes from each game. Sora, Roxas, Namine, Xion, Riku, Axel, Kairi, Aqua, Terra, Ven...and so on were in the last scene and climax, showing their goodbyes, reunions, and connections in their hearts... Everything was connected in fragments, and it was beautiful and left an impression. It made my heart feel warm...and I cried.

-It was a wonderful KH event! There were a lot of clips, and I'm surprised at the quality! It seems some of the trailers were ones only shown at this theater, but I hope they release the other trailers soon!

Lastly, you can check out tweets from the event, thanks to KH13 News Team member Kayla Copeland (nichiei.translations@gmail.com) for the translations, and thanks to @aibo_ac7 for the original tweets.

Spoiler

11/5 tweet at 12:03 am

During the scene with young Xehanort and Eraqus, a piano arrangement of [The 13th Side] played, and the battle scene after was [Rage Awakened], I think. I'm sorry if this is wrong.

11/4 tweet at 11:35 pm

I just remembered, but during the new Attraction Flow for KH3, [Shooting Ride], when it turns into FPS mode, there are goggle?-like things on the screen as if they're supposed to be over your eyes. It was after the goggles appeared on the screen that it entered into FPS mode, I think.

11/3 tweet at 4:07 am

The ending was a picture with everyone all together. King Mickey, Nomura, Shimomura, and Hashimoto look full of life.

With the Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater passing by, as well as all of the D23 Expo Japan event, there are 2 major events left of 2015: Jump Festa 2016 and PlayStation Experience 2015. While Kingdom Hearts has not been confirmed for any of these events yet, there is a small chance of Kingdom Hearts appearing at these events. If any Kingdom Hearts news appears as these events are starting, we will let you know!